1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a horizontal conveyor for transporting bulk materials, in particular of containers for food, comprising at least one conveyor belt encompassing at least one assembly surface for the material to be conveyed.
2. The Prior Art
Known horizontal conveyors are belt conveyors or link conveyors, for example, which are used to transport a material to be conveyed, typically in a continuous flow, from a loading point to an unloading point along a predetermined conveying path, which is embodied by the horizontal conveyor. For embodying the conveyor belt, which accommodates the material to be conveyed, the horizontal conveyors encompass, for example, an endless belt strap or a link conveyor, respectively, which unites the tensile and conveying body. The tensile and conveying body are embodied separate from one another. With the belt conveyor, the belt strap serves as an assembly surface for the material to be conveyed. The belt strap is guided in the form of an endless belt about a driving roller on one end of the conveyor belt, and about a diverting roller at the other end, and is supported via support rollers arranged therebetween, if necessary. Link conveyors composed of a plurality of support links, such as plate elements, crates or the like, are often used for link conveyors instead of a belt strap.
As a general rule, the known horizontal conveyors thereby convert a continuous conveying motion of the materials to be conveyed. In the area of their unloading point, it is possible for difficulties to occur from that point on, if applicable, in response to the transfer of materials to be conveyed, which are to be passed on for further processing in batch quantities, in particular. In the area of the unloading point, a pile-up of the material to be conveyed can occur, which then must be taken over, e.g. by a gripping device. This can then lead to delays or interferences in the entire upstream conveying or processing process of the material to be conveyed.